Clinic’s employees blamed in girl’s death

A FAMILY in Kampong Speu province has filed a complaint with district police against the private clinic they say is responsible for the Thursday death of their 15-month-old daughter.

Srey Chhuom, a provincial Military Police officer investigating the case, said the parents of the girl, Phe Srey Che, brought her to the Touch Sambath clinic in Chbar Mon town after the girl began running a high fever.

“After she received an injection, she had a reaction that caused her to die,” he said, adding that he believed the death was caused by negligence on the part of “unskilled staff”.

“She died after the clinic’s owner checked her blood, hooked her up to a serum drip and then allowed unskilled staff to put an injection into the serum,” he said.

The girl’s father, Cheav Duol, 39, said the clinic had paid the family US$400 in compensation, but he has since decided to lodge a formal complaint.

Kong Ly, chief investigator for the provincial Health Department, denied the clinic was at fault, saying the girl died of “serious dengue”. The clinic was not available for comment.